Man Killed by Swarm of Killer Bees

September 2, 1999

MEXICO CITY (AP) _ A Mexican man was killed by a swarm of killer bees in the central state of Hidalgo, firefighters said Thursday.

Angel Santos Escobedo, 55, died Wednesday after being attacked while collecting mushrooms. His wife Reina, 45 and daughter Guadalupe, 16, were able to escape from the bees, firefighter Arturo Hernandez Osorio said.

At least 18 people have been injured by killer bees in Hidalgo state this year, according to the fire department.

Killer bees are dangerous because they are so aggressive when protecting their hives. They began moving north after a Brazilian laboratory accidentally released them in 1956. Several people in the southern United States have been killed by them.